Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis. The property bubble has just kept on floating over the past few decades, which is great news for investors and millionnaires with property portfolios… not so hot for those at the start of their career journey looking for somewhere to live. Many young Aussies have given up on the dream of ever owning their own home and more of us than ever are living with parents or in house shares to make ends meet. Despite earning good salaries (at least on paper). For those who want to live alone, space can come at a huge premium. Even a modest one bedroom or studio apartment can eat into your monthly income significantly, leaving you with less disposable income to spend on the things that make life worth living.
But even if you only have the budget for a diminutive property, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a whole lot of enjoyment out of your new home. To paraphrase the Bard, though it be but little, it can be fierce!
Here are some effective ways to get big enjoyment out of your little home…
Make the most of your vertical space
You may not have a whole lot of floorspace to play with, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a beautiful and fully functional home. It’s simply a matter of making good use of the vertical space available to you. From tall bookcases and floating shelves to long but slender prints and artworks, there are lots of ways you can employ your vertical space to give you room to express yourself.
Draw attention to your empty space
Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to leave space empty. In fact, you should try and leave as much space bare as possible. Clutter is visually distracting and can actually impact significantly on your mental health, elevating your stress levels and preventing relaxation and concentration. Bare space can speak volumes and needn’t come at the expense of your home’s beauty or character. You’ll just need to become a little more judicious about what you put on display.
Of course this step is much easier when you…
Invest in furniture that doubles up
You probably won’t be able to fit a whole lot of furniture and storage solutions into a smaller living space. However, you’ll find that when furniture doubles up it allows you to make the most out of even the smallest of spaces. And if the idea of assembling flat pack furniture gives you the hives, remember that there are services like Assemble Anything who can take care of that for you.
Whether you need a sofa that opens up for easy storage or a pouffe that doubles as an ottoman you can usually find that furniture that doubles up helps to make the most of your space.
Let there be light
Finally, natural light can make your home look bigger, airier and more spacious while also bringing out the beauty in your space and belongings.
Swap out the heavy drapes for blinds which allow you to make the most of the sunlight coming into your home and bathe your living space in its healing glow.
